Sarah Fentem
St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis, MO, United States
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Past articles by Sarah:
St. Louis researchers say next-generation COVID-19 vaccine could come in fall
Washington University scientists are conducting a clinical trial of a new version of the original Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Researchers say it will likely be better suited to newer BA.4 and BA.5 variants of the virus that have become dominant this summer. → Read More
St. Louis health officials answer your questions about the monkeypox outbreak
Two dozen cases of monkeypox have been reported in Missouri, with about one-third of those cases in St. Louis. While the state’s case count is much lower than in Illinois, New York, and other states with higher populations, health officials are trying to keep the virus from spreading through education and prevention. → Read More
What comes next for Missouri after the end of Roe? Here are 3 key takeaways
Missouri has now banned abortion in the state, except in cases where a parent’s health is severely threatened. But the full effects of the state’s ban and its legal ramifications are still to be seen, and activists on both sides say their work is far from over. → Read More
Missouri’s anti-abortion advocates cheer as Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
Abortion rights supporters in Missouri decried the court's decision to roll back decades of federal protections for people seeking abortions. → Read More
Patients report tick-related red meat allergy as Missouri summers heat up
More patients are reporting they're suffering from alpha gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat that's correlated with tick bites. Tick-related illnesses are on the rise nationwide as summers become hotter, wetter and more tick-friendly. → Read More
As Missouri’s Medicaid sign-ups lag, faith leaders want to pick up the slack
Religious leaders in the statewide group Missouri Faith Voices are encouraging volunteers to spread the word about the state's Medicaid expansion. They say that the state has done little to publicize the program and that much of the responsibility for educating residents has fallen on them and community organizations. → Read More
Blind hockey players need loud and strong pucks. How SLU engineers are building better ones
Blind hockey players use a metal puck filled with ball bearings that rattles when it moves. The noisy puck — used for decades — is one of the few modifications used in the sport. But some players say the decades-old equipment is long overdue for an update. → Read More
Family of an Amazon worker killed by Edwardsville tornado sues
The company “placed profits first instead of the safety of our son and the other families who lost loved ones,” said the mother of Austin McEwen. → Read More
A St. Louis resident is Missouri's first confirmed case of the omicron variant
The first confirmed case of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in Missouri has been identified in St. Louis, city health officials announced Friday. The case was detected in a St. Louis resident who had recently traveled within the United States, according to the St. Louis Department of Health. A commercial lab found the variant during routine sampling. Officials are awaiting confirmation… → Read More
Federal judge blocks Biden administration COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health workers
A federal judge in St. Louis on Monday temporarily barred the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from requiring health care workers in Missouri and nine other states to get the COVID-19 vaccine. → Read More
Missouri judge rules local mask mandates and other COVID orders unconstitutional
A Missouri judge has barred local health departments from issuing orders to protect people during the coronavirus pandemic. → Read More
After initial rush, children’s COVID-19 vaccine appointments available in St. Louis
Many parents hurried to get their children the COVID-19 vaccine earlier this month after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved it for ages 5 through 11. St. Louis area health officials say there's more than enough to go around. → Read More
Missouri’s health director worries public health distrust could remain after pandemic
Don Kauerauf, who’s been Missouri’s health director since September, says he believes a portion of unvaccinated Missourians are still approachable and could be persuaded to get the shot. He also says vaccine hesitancy shouldn’t be vilified. → Read More
Lions, jaguars and other cats at the St. Louis Zoo test positive for coronavirus
Eight animals in the zoo’s Big Cat Country habitat likely caught the coronavirus from a human carrier, zoo officials said. The cats had all received the COVID-19 vaccine and are expected to make a full recovery. → Read More
St. Louis heath officials worry vaccine misinformation leading some to skip flu shots
St Louis health workers are concerned that conspiracy theories about how scientists developed the vaccine, along with mistrust of public health agencies, could be leading some people to avoid other immunizations like the yearly flu shot. → Read More
UMSL hopes high-tech simulation mannequins will mean more nursing grads
The University of Missouri-St. Louis is spending $7 million to expand a simulation center where nursing students use high-tech robotic mannequins and computers to learn and prepare for human patients. → Read More
COVID-19 Vaccines For Kids Could Come To St. Louis This Week
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could give final approval for kids as young as 5 to get the COVID-19 vaccine this week. → Read More
St. Louis health department’s new director plans beyond the coronavirus pandemic
Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis was sworn in as the new director of the St. Louis Department of Health earlier this month. While the coronavirus is the infectious disease doctor’s first priority, she has plans to tackle the city’s other health problems. → Read More
St. Louis Doctors cautiously optimistic as fewer COVID-19 patients fill up hospitals
In the past week, the region’s four largest hospital systems have admitted about 40 new patients a day, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. That’s down from a high of around 80 people a day in August. → Read More
Your mom doesn’t want the COVID-19 vaccine? Here's how you might change her mind
For those who want their loved ones to be safe from the virus, trying to persuade people to get the shot is frustrating but not impossible. → Read More